Protest in Mexico City for the 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa. Image by Enrique Perez Huerta. October 8, 2014. Copyright Demotix.

Since the beginning of his term in late 2012, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has been committed to creating and broadcasting an image of a country moving forward. The government has enacted structural reforms with support from the opposition.

The government's strategy to deal with the country's security crisis, however, and the international community's human rights stance have been called into question following the disappearance of 43 students from the state of Guerrero.

Today, high-ranking US officials have not voiced concerns over the deteriorating events in Mexico since September 26th. The US response to human rights violations around the globe – including the recent events in Iguala – should be unambiguous and consistent. Silence is tantamount to complicity.